Irish Railway Record Society

Operations

IÉ recorded record passenger numbers in 2006, with a total of 43m journeys on InterCity, commuter and DART services. This is a 14% increase on the 37.7m journeys recorded in 2005. An IÉ spokesperson said: ‘The increase reconfirms Iarnród Éireann's standing as the European Union's fastest-growing railway, a status achieved through the previous year's 9% growth. In just two years since 2004, passenger numbers have increased by almost 25%, or 8.5 million journeys’.

PASSENGER OPERATIONS

The All Ireland Senior Football Final between Kerry and Mayo was played in Croke Park , Dublin , on Sunday 17 September, with specials running to both Connolly and Heuston. Up trains passed Hazelhatch as follows: 06:45 Killarney-Heuston 210 + 5 Mk III push-pull + EGV at 09:30, 07:00 Castlebar-Connolly 207 + 6 Mk III push-pull (hauled) at 09:50, 08:15 Limerick-Heuston 204 + EGV + 4 Mk IId at 10:06, 07:05 Ballina-Connolly 075 + EGV + 6 Mk IId at 10:22, 07:00 Tralee-Mallow regular extended to Heuston 211 + 7 Mk III + EGV at 10:36, 08:25 Galway-Heuston regular 201 + 8 Mk III + EGV at 10:53, 07:05 Killarney-Heuston 085 + GSV + 6 Cravens + GSV at 11:01, 08:30 Cork-Heuston regular 4003 + 7 Mk IV + 228 at 11:06, 07:35 Tralee 072 + 7 Mk III + EGV at 11:17, 07:45 Westport-Heuston regular 218 + 7 Mk III + EGV at 11:12, 08:20 Westport-Connolly special 080 + 6 Mk IId + EGV at 11:23, 09:25 Limerick-Heuston regular 231 + 7 Mk III + EGV at 11:40, 08:20 Tralee-Heuston regular 223 + 7 Mk III + EGV at 11:46 and the 09:30 Waterford-Heuston regular 203 + 7 Mk III + EGV at 11:55.

The Ryder Cup golf tournament was played in the K-Club near Straffan, Co. Kildare, from Monday 18 to Sunday 24 September. IÉ offered a package of train travel to Leixlip Louisa Bridge and a shuttle bus to the venue. Monday-Friday specials departed Connolly at 06:35 and 06:45 serving Leixlip Louisa Bridge and Maynooth. Saturday saw specials from Connolly scheduled at 05:45, 06:35, 06:45, and 08:40, with return specials from Maynooth at 18:20 and 19:00. Sunday specials were scheduled at 05:45, 06:10, 06:35, 06:45, 07:05, 08:11, 08:40, 09:05, 10:05, 10:30 from Connolly, returning from Maynooth at 17:55, 18:28, 18:35, 19:00, 19:40, 20:02 and 21:07.

On Friday 15 September, the 18:00 Tralee-Cork was formed by 072 + 7 Mk III + EGV. On Friday 29 September, 088 + GSV + 4 Cravens worked the 07:15 Cork-Mallow.

On occasions in September, the 6-car 2800-class on the 17:25 Dublin Connolly-Gorey commuter service was replaced with a 4-car 29000-class. The 6-car 2800-class was used for the 18:00 Dublin Connolly-Longford as its 4-car 29000-class was now too small for the demand. However, the changes resulted in complaints of overcrowding on Gorey trains and they reverted back to 6 x 2800.

Following upgrading of radio communication and introduction of trains with powered doors; many InterCity trains now run without a guard. In some cases, such as with the 29000-class on Dublin-Sligo and Dublin-Rosslare lines, they operate driver-only. A few years ago these trains had a driver, guard, ticket-checker and catering trolley operator. Other driver only trains operate on Dublin-Sligo, Mallow-Tralee, Ennis-Limerick-Limerick Junction and Ballina branch trains. Dublin-Cork Mk IVs operate with a driver, catering personnel and a train host but no guard. This has resulted in restrictions on parcels traffic carried.

On Tuesday 3 October, an 11:55 Heuston-Portarlington trial train was formed by 202 + GSV + 5 Cravens. On Friday 6 October, the 17:10 Heuston-Athlone was 087 + GSV + 5 Cravens.

The Dominican pilgrimage from Waterford to Claremorris for Knock Shrine is one of the few remaining Knock specials. On Sunday 8 October, the 06:55 Waterford-Claremorris was formed by 077 + EGV + 7 Mk III and ran via Kilkenny and Kildare.

On Friday 27 October, a 12:30 Cork-Heuston holiday weekend special was 077 + GSV + 4 Cravens. Monday 30 October saw two Cravens sets in Tralee, 085 + GSV + 5 Cravens on the 15:55 to Heuston, and 073 + 4 Cravens + GSV on the 17:20 to Heuston. The 15:55 was severely overcrowded on departure from Killarney, with approximately 500 passengers onboard, the lights subsequently failing en route to Mallow where the train was terminated. Some passengers for Dublin were transferred to the 17:30 Cork-Heuston. A 4-car 2700-class, which was travelling empty from Inchicore to Cork , was expeditiously turned back at Mallow, and departed at 18:20 with the bulk of the passengers off the 15:55 set.

Following failure of the regular train in Limerick on Saturday 4 November, a 4-car 2700-class railcar worked the 06:45 Limerick-Heuston. Later, 224 + 4 Cravens + GSV, worked empty from Limerick to Heuston.

A 10:15 Heuston-Kildare trial train on Thursday 9 November was formed by ex-works 217 hauling 9 Cravens + GSV. An 11:56 Heuston-Portarlington locomotive trial train on Tuesday 28 November consisted of 212 + 6 Cravens + GSV.

Friday is a very busy day on the Ballina branch with no less than 17 movements. For example, on 24 November the following were recorded:

Branch passenger trains were worked by 2603/04 and spare 077 + 2 Cravens + GSV were stabled in the ‘through road’ in Ballina.

A Sunday service was provided for shoppers from Sallins and Hazelhatch stations to Heuston on 17 December. The 08:30 Cork-Dublin, 201 + 7 Mk III + EGV, called at Hazelhatch at 11:31. The 09:25 Limerick-Dublin, 201 + 8 Mk III + EGV, called at 11:55 and the 10:30 Cork-Dublin, 4004 + 7 Mk IV + 229, called at 13:30. In the evening, passengers used the 17:25 Dublin-Waterford and 18:25 Dublin-Limerick.

  The remainder of this article appears in IRRS Journal number 162, published February 2007.

Copyright © 2007 by Irish Railway Record Society Limited
Revised: February 18, 2007 .